As if skin infections and other diseases weren't enough, Manggarai residents also have to contend with the lack of toilets in their homes.

"Why should we have a toilet in our house if we don't have water?" said 64-year-old farmer Norbertus Lembu. "A toilet is not a necessity in Manggarai. We have a wide backyard if we want to relieve ourselves."

A standard permanent toilet costs around 7 million rupiah (763 U.S. dollars) in Manggarai and is considered a luxury in an area where the annual per capita income stands at 1.5 million rupiah (163.5 dollars).

Public toilets in Pakistan are filthy.

 

These are the results of a recent study on sanitation facilities in Pakistan, which was conducted by Pakistan's federal ministry for environment in 2005 and revised in March 2006. It found out that only 54 percent of this Pakistan's population has latrine and toilet facilities. Out of this 54 percent, 70 percent live in urban areas while 30 percent are in rural areas.

NUKUS, Uzbekistan (Asia Water Wire) - Until about 15 years ago, very little was known about the Vozrozhdeniye Island on the Aral Sea.

People queue up to get water at the plant, even though the quality of the water cannot be guaranteed.

 

 

   The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has set up 12 filtration plants but the systems are rarely maintained, and are therefore ineffective in terms of pollution control.

The Hua Lamphong 'Klong', stagnant and choked with wastes, runs along side the Klong Toey slum area, with inhabitants sometimes living right under the highway.

 

 

   “There are fish and frogs in the water,” she said, then quickly added: “But still, nobody dares to eat them yet because even the fish’ eyes have turned black.”

JAKARTA (Asia Water Wire) – When a poor fisherman in North Jakarta  got a chance to talk to Vice President Jusuf Kalla in a live  television broadcast last year, he did not ask for a new boat or cash  donation due to the recent hike in fuel prices. Instead, he asked for  ‘just’ clean water.

   This highlights the fact that access to clean water remains a  serious problem for around 100 million people in Indonesia, which  ranks third in the world for the number of people lacking safe  drinking water. The country, the world’s largest archipelago, has 220  million people.

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (Asia Water Wire) – Officials in this central Asian nation are looking ahead into a dry and dusty summer with few options for raising supply for meeting the growing demand for clean drinking water.

   There is a shortage of clean drinking water not only in the provinces but also in Bishkek, the capital. 

Water filter ads, like this one, are abundant in Malaysia, due to the population's concern on water quality and safety.

 

 

KUALA LUMPUR (Asia Water Wire) - Television commercials offering water filters of all sizes, shapes and specifications  mirror a problem that has remained hidden under the glare of the  bright city lights.

   Even though there is no firm data, industry analysts say there  has been a spurt in the sale of filtration devices. But this is obvious in the number and types of filters you see in private homes –  and on hoarding boards.

   Malaysia's water supply is fairly adequate but what is not discussed is the quality that is supplied by a mix of government, public-private and private companies.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AWW) - Twelve-year-old Abdul Sattar Khan appears  almost lifeless as he rests on the frail shoulders of his veiled  mother, Kamala Bibi, who was waiting for her turn at the Lady Reading  Hospital (LRH).

   Kamala Bibi brought Abdul to hospital from remote Razaro village,  Charsadda district 35 kilometres from Peshawar, and was told that her  son was in a “critical” condition.